The Timothy Center for Sustainable Transformation was conceived by Dr. Michael T. Cooper in 2009 as a solution to the answer of how Christians can practically demonstrate their faith to a world that has become increasingly aware of people who call themselves Christian, but do not display it through their acts. After years of research on what people of different religions think of Christianity, Michael saw a tremendous need for Christian to live out their faith in the care for the marginalized. That research demonstrated one of the salient causes for people leaving the Christian faith was hypocrisy and in response Dr. Cooper initiated a social entrepreneurship program at Trinity Graduate School in Deerfield, Illinois. Shortly after the launch of the social entrepreneurship program, he and several of his students became involved in several social ventures in the United States and internationally. Recognizing the need to bring all those ventures under a corporation with the express goal of catalyzing blended-value ventures that raise the quality of life and enhance the dignity of the world’s marginalized, discussion on the feasibility of such a corporation began.
Significant Dates
Spring 2009 - during a sabbatical from teaching, Michael conceives of the Timothy Center
December 2009 - abject poverty seen in Nicaruaga on a family vacation and business ideas to address poverty been to crystalize
March 2010 - research trip to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation identifies need for self resourcing and industry
April 2010 - research trip to Haiti yields the Haiti recycling initiative and the need for higher education
May 2010 - l'Universite Internationale en Haiti is constituted
October 2010 - architects and engineers begin work on the 23 acre site of UIH
October 2010 - trip to Uruguay yields partnership with San Geronimo and business plan development for EcoRise
December 2010 - a board of directors was formed and the Timothy Center for Sustainable Transformation was incorporated in the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit corporation with charitable activities
February 2010 - Sustainable Tranformation seminars held in Montevideo, Uruguagy and Grayslake, Illinois
March 2011 - application was made for IRS tax exempt status
June 2011 - business development began in Romania
September 2011 - Timothy Center Press publishes The Peaceable Christian: Five Evangelicals Reflect on Peace and Social Injustice: What Evangelicals Need to Know About the World
November 2011 - Timothy Center Press publishes Haiti Quake 2010, A Chronicle of a Year of Crisis: Requiem or Karios
November 2011 - Michael Card benefit concert for Haiti raised $3,800 for the water project in Berard
